Senior Airman Justin “JD” Day, a combat controller attached to an Army Special Forces team in Afghanistan, was taking part in a joint patrol near the Pakistan border July 10 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device and was critically injured, his uncle, Jeremiah Griffin, told KATU2 TV in Oregon.
Day, 22, from Medford, Oregon, is assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
The explosion led to the amputation of Day’s right leg above the knee as well as portions of his left hand. A skin graft was also performed to treat burns on the inside of his thigh and groin area.
The senior airman "was recently awarded a Purple Heart for being wounded in action, and he is currently undergoing medical treatment at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C.], ” wrote Jaclyn Pienkowski, a spokeswoman for the 24th SOW, in an email.
Day was married to his wife, Aubrey, shortly before deploying to Afghanistan, and the newlyweds are expecting their first child on Christmas Day.
A full statement was released by the Day family to KATU TV on July 13:
“Early on July 11th, we were informed Justin, “JD,” was wounded in action while on a patrol in Afghanistan.
"Justin is an Air Force Special Tactics operator, trained specifically as a Combat Controller, and at the time of injury he was part of a joint operation. As a result of his injuries, JD has lost his right leg above his knee and some portions of his left hand. He has also suffered burns. …
"We can’t express how grateful we are for all the love surrounding us as we start this journey.
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“We are incredibly proud of JD for his choice to serve our country, and we know he will continue to stay strong during this period.”
Col. Claude Tudor Jr., commander of the 24th Special Operations Wing, also released a statement regarding Day.
“We are very fortunate to serve with incredible professionals from across our joint team who made sure Justin received not only necessary care when and how it was needed down range, but that he will also receive the absolutely best extended care," Tudor said. "I am extremely proud of the how our Air Force Special Operations and Special Tactics enterprise comes together in order to support families in these situations since they are equally important to our success.”
Day’s family started a GoFundMe page collecting contributions the fundraiser three days ago when they were notified about Day’s condition. The page creator Becky Griffin wrote the purpose of the fundraiser in the summary of the page.
Becky Griffin, Day’s aunt, started a GoFundMe page July 12.
“In the days and months ahead there may be unexpected surgeries, expenses and travel associated with this life transition," she wrote. "Please help this family be prepared so they can focus on JD’s recovery.”
In just a week, contibutions far exceeded the family’s goal of $10,000. As of July 19, contributions from 1,530 donors totaled $101,238. The page has also garnered close to 10,000 shares on Facebook.
On the page, Griffin expressed the family’s gratitude for the support they received from fellow airmen as they awaited Day’s return to the States.
The Air Force and his CCT family have been amazing, immediately descending upon Aubry’s home to support her," she wrote. “After driving all night, Combat Controllers from a different unit in Washington State arrived at JD’s parents' home until one of JD’s teammates arrived from Florida to act as the family liaison, making arrangements for JD’s parents and siblings to join Aubry in greeting him when he arrives back in the States.”
Neil is a former US Army Captain and served operational deployments in South Korea and Afghanistan. He is currently an Editorial Fellow at the Military Times.
